With thanks to Trevor Simmons (@tvtrevstats) for his help compiling the stats and facts.
Reading Football Club
Stadium: Madejski Stadium (capacity 24,161)
Manager: Veljko Paunovic (since August 2020)
Nickname: The Royals
Recent results
7th November - Stoke (H) - Lost 3-0
21st November - Bournemouth (A) - Lost 4-2
25th November - Millwall (A) - Drew 1-1
28th November - Bristol City (H) - Won 3-1
2nd December - Sheffield Wednesday (A) - Drew 1-1
Reading fact zone
Reading are currently nine points better off than at this stage last season and are unbeaten in their last three Championship games
The Royals have won just one of their last seven league games, taking five points from 21 available, this after dropping just two points from their opening eight games, their best start in 35 years
They have conceded 18 goals in their last eight games, this after conceding just one goal from their opening seven matches (their best ever defensive start)
They have won five of their seven league games at the Madejski Stadium this season but had lost back-to-back home games before beating Bristol City last week
Lucas Joao is already having his best scoring season in English football with 13 goals. He has scored 18 goals in his last 23 appearances (14 in 16), including a goal in each of his last four games
Yakou Meite missed the game at Sheffield Wednesday through injury and had previously scored four goals in his last five appearances
Top scorers
13 – Lucas Joao (10 league, 3 League Cup)
5 – Yakou Meite (5 league)
2 – Ovie Ejaria (2 league), Michael Olise (2 league), George Puscas (2 league)
1 – Sone Aluko (1 league), Josh Laurent (1 league), Michael Morrison (1 league)
Head-to-head
Reading came from behind to draw 1-1 in both games last season. Ben Watson gave Forest a 96th-minute lead in the corresponding fixture but an own goal a minute later by Tobias Figueiredo earned The Royals a point
Reading are unbeaten in the last five meetings between the sides at the Madejski Stadium, winning four
There are plenty of links between the two clubs...
A number of players have represented both clubs over the past 20 years, most notably…
Chris Gunter
After playing nine games on loan at Forest towards the end of the 2008-09 season, Billy Davies paid Tottenham £1.75million for Gunter's services in July 2009. He went on to make 155 appearances for The Reds, with his only two goals being winners at Plymouth and Doncaster. Gunter was named in the Championship Team of the Year in 2009-10 and he left The City Ground to join Reading for £2.5million in July 2012. He spent eight years at the Madejski Stadium, making 314 appearances, and the 31-year-old is Wales’ most-capped player of all-time with 99 caps.
Other players to play for both clubs include Michail Antonio, Modou Barrow, Ryan Bertrand, Tyler Blackett, Nathaniel Chalobah, Simon Cox, Adam Federici, Lewis Grabban, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Greg Halford, Dan Harding, Darius Henderson, James Henry, Jamie Mackie, Garath McCleary, Matt Mills, Nelson Oliveira, Pele, Alfa Semedo, Billy Sharp, Nicky Shorey, Aaron Tshibola, Nathan Tyson and Matt Upson.
A day to remember...
Reading 0-3 Nottingham Forest (Osborn 56', Fryatt 70', Gardner 80')
Madejski Stadium - Championship - Saturday 28th February 2015 - 3pm kick-off
Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Lascelles, Collins, Fox, Mancienne, Antonio (Blackstock 82'), Lansbury, Osborn, Paterson (Burke 45'), Fryatt (Gardner 77')
This was Forest's fifth win in six Championship games under Dougie Freedman